


When You're Ready

by NemiMontoya



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Fluff, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sabriel - Freeform, bunker family, post 13x17
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 05:13:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14253759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NemiMontoya/pseuds/NemiMontoya
Summary: Sometimes he looked like he wanted to talk and Sam would wait with bated breath, but then he would press his lips together and sigh sadly as he turned away.”Any day now,” Sam thought.





	When You're Ready

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, writing that last fic made me feel a little better after 13x17, but then I saw those promo photos and my heart was broken again, so I wrote this. Enjoy!

In the days following Dean and Ketch’s return from the apocalypse world with his mom and Jack in tow, a relieved Sam focused all his attention on Gabriel. He seemed to be doing better. He had - mostly - stopped flinching at noises or sudden movements. Cas had spent a lot of time healing him, and he was still quite weak, but the clear improvement from when he’d arrived at the bunker was cause for hope.

But he still wouldn’t talk. He’d communicate through facial expressions and gestures, but he would not speak. Sam had tried getting him to write down answers to his questions, but he’d gotten agitated and Sam had given that up.

”He needs time,” Sam had told Dean. ”He’ll talk to us when he’s ready.”

Cas was glad to have his brother back, but beyond his angelic healing, he seemed to be at a loss for what he could do for Gabriel.

”Just be here for him. That’s enough,” Sam assured him. ”Trust me, it helps.”

And it did. Cas’s presence clearly did Gabriel good. He lit up every time Cas came into the room. He also seemed quite taken with Jack, who was endlessly fascinated with ’Uncle Gabe’. When the young nephilim figured out that Gabriel loved sweets, he would go through every inch of every cupboard in the kitchen in search of things Gabriel might like to eat, and then he would sit next to him and chatter on and on about his own favorite types of candy. A few times, Sam saw the corners of Gabriel’s mouth twitch, as if he wanted to smile. And once, Sam found Gabriel playing cards with Jack, his mom and Dean. Dean kept grumbling and pretended to be annoyed, but Sam noticed how Dean surreptitiously pushed the bowl of candy on the table closer to Gabriel.

Sam’s own efforts to help the archangel also seemed to pay off, as he was pleased to note. When they realized Gabriel was afraid to be left alone at night, Sam had moved his bed into his own room and let him stay there. A couple of times, Sam woke up in the middle of the night to find Gabriel sitting curled up in a corner of the room. It broke Sam’s heart to see the formerly so vibrant archangel that way, looking so small and miserable. And, although he knew Dean would never let him hear the end of it if he found out, he helped Gabriel up, led him to his own bed and, laying down, pulled him close. Until Sam fell asleep, he held Gabriel and whispered to him, reminding him that the was safe.

”It’s okay, Gabe. Nothing can get to you here. I’ve got you.”

After that Gabriel constantly sought Sam’s company. If he was reading, Gabriel would come sit by him. If he was cooking, Gabriel would come to the kitchen and watch him work. They watched TV together. If the weather was fine, Sam would ask him if he wanted to go for a walk and he always immediately got up to follow Sam, even if being out in the open made him nervous at first. Sometimes he looked like he wanted to talk and Sam would wait with bated breath, but then he would press his lips together and sigh sadly as he turned away.

” _Any day now_ ,” Sam thought.

Late one night, Sam and Gabriel were watching a movie in Dean’s man cave, when Sam suddenly remembered something and laughed.

”Gabe,” he said, turning to the angel. ”did I tell you Dean, Cas and I ended up in Scooby Doo a while back? Literally.”

Gabriel looked at him in surprise.

”Yeah,” Sam laughed. ”It was a Pleasantville-type situation. Except it was a haunted TV, not a magic remote. But yeah, we became cartoon characters and met the Scoobies and worked the case with them and everything. And… I’m never going to admit it to Dean, but it was pretty cool.”

Sam grinned at Gabriel.

”It was more fun than your TV-world, anyway. At least I didn’t get hit in the nuts.”

He teasingly bumped his shoulder against Gabriel’s, and turned his attention back to the movie. A few seconds passed, and then a quiet, hoarse whisper next to him:

”That…”

Heart pounding, Sam quickly paused the movie. Gabriel was staring down at his hands.

”That sounds fun.”

He looked up at Sam, and there was a smile on his lips. An actual smile.

”I’ve always loved the Scoobies,” he croaked, voice weak from disuse. ”When I… if I get back to full strength, maybe I’ll go visit them, too.”

”Yeah, why not?” Sam smiled back at him. ” _When_ you get back to full strength, you should do that. Bring Dean, he would be thrilled.”

Gabriel nodded, then sighed.

”I’m sorry about your nuts, Samsquatch.” He looked down at his hands again. ”I’m sorry about lots of things.”

”I know,” Sam said softly. ”But you came through for us. Without you… we would have lost everything. And… I’m not quite there yet, but I’m saying I will forgive you… eventually. Because I want to. Because I care about you.”

Gabriel nodded.

”Gabe…” Sam said cautiously. ”Can you tell me what h…”

”No!” Gabriel interrupted quickly, eyes wide. ”No, I can’t…”

”Okay,” Sam said, ”it’s okay. You don’t have to.”

Gabriel took in a shaky breath, golden eyes glistening. Sam put his arm around his shoulders, giving him a light squeeze. He smiled when Gabriel leaned his head on his shoulder, feeling a faint flutter inside his stomach.

”Sorry,” Gabriel whispered.

”It’s okay,” Sam reassured him. ”All in your own time. You’re one of us now.”

He turned to smile at Gabriel.

”Welcome to Team Free Will.”

Through his tears, Gabriel smiled back.


End file.
